Always listen for and seek out signs of trouble. Use porpoising to gather information at all levels of your organization. Bad news is good news if you do something about it.
I call my bad news early detection system "porpoising." Think about a porpoise, repeatedly diving deep into the ocean and then rising to the surface; gathering information at all levels. As a manager, you should periodically "porpoise" beyond your direct reports to talk to diverse groups of people at every level in your nonprofit.
Porpoising is designed to unearth valuable information, whether in the short term or for the long haul. Porpoising expresses a culture of observant listening — and enables you to "hear" sounds of trouble before you learn about it through official channels.
The message on the right can be deceptively simple. At first it appears counter-intuitive. But you’ll soon learn to recognize that good news is not as useful as you might think; no news can be a sign of problems; and bad news affords an opportunity for change.
Good news is no news. No news is bad news. And bad news is good news — if you do something about it.
— Jim Morgan
Good news is no news. No news is bad news. And bad news is good news — if you do something about it.
— Jim Morgan
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You will never change an organization's culture just by telling employees that the culture needs to change. You must take deliberate action to create and nurture the culture you want.
02To successfully lead a nonprofit you must cultivate a culture of trust and respect. Trust is born of respect, and it is the foundation of all good management.
03Always listen for and seek out signs of trouble. Use porpoising to gather information at all levels of your organization. Bad news is good news if you do something about it.
04In the nonprofit sector, court sense means understanding the environment that impacts your organization. Look up, look forward, and look around to anticipate problems and adjust your strategy.
05Your nonprofit has specific functions and processes, as well as regulations it must follow. A weakness in any operational area can negate successes in others.
06Nonprofit boards and staff teams must prioritize and focus on the most important decisions and tasks. Taking time to plan creates a useful rhythm and routine.
07Planning is essential, but success comes from implementation. Book It and Ship It means making a decision, putting it in motion, and managing the consequences.
08To create a culture of accountability, reinforce individual ownership of problems. Make sure responsibility stays clear and always ask who's got the monkey.